Seattle Mariners CEO blasts anti-gay Arizona bill

The Seattle Mariners came out against a proposed bill in Arizona that would allow businesses to deny service to customers based on sexual orientation. Team CEO Howard Lincoln released a statement Wednesday from the team, which has held spring training in the state for over three decades.

Here it is in its entirety:

The Seattle Mariners have enjoyed 37 years of spring training in Arizona. Our fans flock to Peoria for baseball in March, and have always been made to feel welcome by the businesses and good people of Arizona. This should apply to all of our fans. The Mariners respect and value diversity. We welcome fans of all races, colors, religious beliefs, nationalities, ages, and sexual orientations. We believe that intolerance has no place in our game or society. Unfortunately, Senate Bill 1062 sends a message that not everyone is welcome. We hope Governor Brewer will reject that message.

The statement was released just before Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer announced that she had vetoed SB 1062, which passed the Republican-led state legislature last week and would have allowed businesses in the state to deny service to gay and lesbian customers as an exercise of religious freedom.

The Mariners made news last season when they became the first major American sports franchise to fly a Gay Pride flag at a game. They weren’t the only sports organization to enter the debate, as the NFL also weighed in against 1062, saying that the league may reconsider holding Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona had the bill passed.